This is Bird Note. From house wrens to wild turkeys, birds of all sizes like to scrub themselves clean using dirt?

Call it what you will. Dirt bathing, dust bathing, or dusting. It's part of a bird's self-care routine, especially during summer.

Birds may take a dirt bath alone, in pairs, or in a flock, and they'll chase away other birds

from their favorite patch.

Typically, a bird shuffles its feet to scrape a depression in the ground.

Sitting on its belly with feathers ruffled, it flicks dirt onto its body.

Now, a nice rub of the neck in the dust, and then a good shimmy gets rid of it all.

Individuals may peck at the dirt to loosen it, before or during the bath,

which could last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.

Experiments showed that frolicing in the dirt is good for a bird's plumage.

When access to dirt was cut off for the northern bobwhite,

oil started building up on its feathers. After Japanese quails dusted for about two weeks,

they had less dandruff. In other words, dirt is like shampoo for birds. For bird note, I'm Mary McCann.